This invention relates to improved methods and apparatus for retaining keepsakes such as greeting cards, diplomas, baseball cards, concert stubs, playbills, and photographs.
Typically in the prior art plastic sleeves are used for retaining keepsakes or collector""s items such as greeting cards, diplomas, baseball cards, and other items. However, such plastic sleeves typically do not provide a complete seal to protect the keepsakes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,349 to Tubergen discloses a protective sleeve or jacket for displaying and storing a greeting card. (Tubergen, Abstract). In one embodiment Tubergen discloses that top edges 27 and 28 and bottom edges 29 and 30 are closed and that a card is inserted partially folded into the sleeve 20 at back opening 37. (Tubergen, col. 3, Ins. 25-30). However, Tubergen does not disclose a complete seal or a virtually complete seal. In Tubergen, either the top is open (near edges 27 and 28) or the bottom is open (near edges 29 and 30) or the back opening is open (near flaps 31). In any case, there will not be a complete seal. In addition, the flaps 31 shown in Tubergen FIG. 1, do not have an interlocking design.
The present invention in one embodiment discloses an apparatus or keepsake sleeve comprising a left front panel and a left back panel which together form a first pocket, a right front panel and a right back panel which together form a second pocket, a left closing flap which is connected to the left back panel, a middle closing flap which is connected to the right back panel; and a right closing flap which is connected to the middle closing flap. The first and/or second pockets can be used to hold keepsakes such as a greeting card. In one embodiment a first portion or panel of a greeting card is inserted into the first pocket and a second portion or panel is inserted into the second pocket. The first and second pockets are substantially sealed. The left closing flap may fit in between the right and middle closing flaps to provide interlocking flaps for better sealing and better strength for the sleeve.
The left, middle, and right closing flaps may each have a set of a plurality of holes. Each flap may have three holes. The holes of the flaps may be aligned and rings of a binder inserted through the aligned holes.
The present invention also includes a method for constructing or forming a sleeve which is capable of providing a virtually complete or complete seal for keepsakes such as greeting cards. The method may include forming first and second pockets and inserting a portion of a keepsake into the first pocket and a portion into the second pocket. The method may also include inserting the left closing flap in between the middle and right closing flaps, aligning corresponding sets of holes on the left, middle and right closing flaps, and inserting a binder ring into each combination of holes from the left, middle, and right closing flaps.